Air cleaner and silencer



J l 3, 1952 J. J. DREZNES 2,602,520

AIR CLEANER AND SILENCER Filed 00%. 8, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET l Invenior272' JDT'Q 726,5 @?L (a July 8, 1952 J. J. DREZNES AIR CLEANER ANDSILENCER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Oct. 8, 1949 i 2 W J 3 W j JM QJQ J n n9/ I N Mal s j hI|J AT MW @w w ww l.|. I Kw Q l k N uv mm QQRN PatentedJuly 8, 1952 I g V 2,602,520 AIR CLEANER AND SILENCER J chnfJ Drez nes-Chicago, lll assignor to United Specialties Company, Chicago, 111., acorporation of Delaware Application October 8, 1949, Serial No. 120,320

This invention relates particular, to a silencer for use with a cleaner.It has for one object to provide a silencer con-. struction suitable foruse or combination with an air cleaner. In the particular form hereshown, the cleaner is suitable for attachment to an internal combustionengine and primarily for attachment to an internal combustion engineadapted to be mounted upon a vehicle. The invention is notlimited tothis particular association or use. r a

Another object is toprovide an air cleaner, including a silencer, insuch form thatspace is. economized and the entire device can readily bepositioned in alimited space. v i

Other objects will appear from time to time in thecourse of thespecification.- a

The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawings wherein: N i I Figure'l is a side'elevation withparts in section illustrating one form of the device; i

' Figure 2 'isa side elevation with parts in section illustrating amodified construction.

Like parts are indicated'bylike characters throughout the specificationand drawings.

In the particular form here shown, the silencer is combined with anoil'bath air cleaner. It

might becombined with other types of cleaners.

and the inventionis therefore not limited to' the combination ofthesilencer with the particular type of cleanershown. l H

The cleaner generally comprises an oil sump, a

baflie positioned. in the oil sump and: initially partlybelow the oillevel, a filter mass above the oil sump and above the baifie, meansdefining an inlet to:the' oil sumpand an outlet from. the filter mass.The parts thus far 'describedc0m'' prise; essentially the cleanerstructure. To these are added a number of parts-defining silencer meansand anoutlet passage member directed through the silencer meansandcommunicating.

witha passage or conduit member shaped to be to-an air cleaner and, in

5 Claims. (01. 183-15) connected to an engine or .to the intakeof acarbur'eto'r which is' itself. connected-to. an engine Thecleaner, asshown in: Figure l comprises a" sump. ;l.. 'To the sump'is: attached anupwardly extending wall member 2 which is shaped-to 'de.+ fine" ashoulder 3 andan inwardly and downwardlyzcurved portion 4. The Wallmember may sump is: a'ho'us'ing member 38 which is secured .50' be"provided. with a plurality of inlet openingsii:

at brinear its 'upper endyf Thesumpin'cludesa 1 generally ltubularportion-5 shouldered-fat 1 and securedto'an outlet tube member 8. gasket9 l mat bepos'itioned uponthe shoulder l. A filter 2 mass H1 is enclosedwithin a shell or housing [I which includes an inner portion I2 whichforms a part of the outlet passage through which gases,

are conducted from the cleaner. The members 2 and H define an annularinlet passage for gases to enter the cleaner. The filter mass itself issupported at the bottom upon a spider I3 which may be formed. integrallywith the member II and by a screen Ma. At its upper end the filter massis confined by a screen or a perforated member l4. At its upper end thetubular member I2 is outwardly flared, as at [5, and is provided withadownwardly directed lip-1'6. The

filter structure is supported upon the shoulder 1 and holdsin place uponthat shoulder a battle member [1.

As shown, the baffle includes a downwardly depending flange 18 and anupwardly curved portion I9 which'at its inner edge rests upon the gasket9 or upona fiangeZil formed by turning the lower edgeof the tubularmember I2 inwardly; Preferably the inner portion E9 of the bafiieiscurved to conform in shape with the portion of openings or louvers' 2l'and an inwardly rand downwardly directed member 22 is formed adjacentand beneath each of the openings 2 I. a

a In the outlet passage member18 are formed one or more openings 23; Aspider 24 is fixed in the member 8, and to it is fixedan attaching rod25. This rod is-threaded at its upper end, as M 26, and receives a coverplate member 21, which member closesthe upper end of the cleaner andextends over the filter mass and contacts the top of the wall member ;II. A thumbnut 28 engages the threadingZBof the member 25 and serves as ameans for holding the filter mass and associated parts in position. Thecoverplate 21 is .bent, aslat 29, about the upper endofthe filter masshousing H. The filtermass its housing,

the tubular member l2 and the cover plate 2'! v ,form' a unit which maybe removed: when the thumb znuts28 "is itself removed from the rod 25;The filter structure; when fastened in place as? shown in Figure 1,,retains in positionthe'bafiley- Positioned beneath the -cleaner andabout theto the member-:Lby. weldingor otherwise."- An inner flange'3l'gformed on themember 30 is secured to the tubular member'fl. Thehousing 39 3 of two members but the structure here shown might be formedof more than two members, or indeed of a single member. As shown, itcomprises a lower portion 32 which has permanently fixed to it an upperportion 33. This portion is inwardly bent or shaped and contacts theWall 2, as at 34, and is permanently secured to it by welding orotherwise. The lower portion 32 is provided with an opening 35 aboutwhich may be positioned a threaded member 36. This opening providesmeans for attaching a bracket to support the weight of the air cleaner.Fixed to the tubular member 8 is an elbow 31. Fixed to this elbow is anoutlet pipe 38. Fixed to the silencer. housing, and in the form hereshown to'the lower portion 32 of that housing, is an outlet tubularmember 39. This member, asshown, surrounds positions.

the outer end of the conduit 38 and is of greater diameter than thatconduit so that an annular clearance 49 is provided between the members38 and 39, thus providing communication between the outlet duct and thespace defined by the lower silencer casing. Communication may beprovided by other means. In cases where the conduit 38 must be of thesame diameter as the conduit 39, the two conduits may be joined into onecontinuous duct, and the communication be tween the outer silencingchamber and the outlet conduit provided by means of openings in the wallof the conduit 38. may be secured to the part '39 and serves as aconduit through which cleaned gases leaving the cleaner are conducted toa point at which they are to be'used.

In the modified form of Figure 2, the cleaner is the same as that shownin Figure 1 and described above. The parts will notice redescribed andidentical parts carry identical reference numorale in both figures.However, in the form of Figure 1, the silencer structure is positionedabout the lower portion of the cleaner and 'beneath the cleaner. In theform of Figure 2, the silencer structure is put about the upper portionof the cleaner and above the cleaner. Air entering the annular inletformed between the walls 2 and H in Figure 1 is discharged finallydownwardly from the cleaner while air is discharged from the cleaner ofFigure 2 upwardly. For that reason, the tubular member 12 of Figure 2does not serve as an outlet passage for cleaned gases and it is closedby a closure plug 42.

In'the form of Figure 2, the cleaner proper is closed by a member 43which serves as the bottom of the silencer structure and serves, also,as the cover plate which forms the top of the cleaner structure proper.This member is shaped to provide an annular groove 44 within which isseated a gasket 45. The upper edge'of the member H is in contact'withthe gasket 45. The member 43 at its outer edge is permanently secured,as at 46, to the upper part 47 of the silencer housing which, as shown,is providedwith a top portion 48. Secured to the member 43is a'tubular.conduit 49 which is integral with an'elbowportion 50. A spider or crossmember 5| is fixed within the 'portion 49f Secured to the spider 5| isan attaching rod 52 which is threaded, as'at 53, at its lower end.It'passes through an opening in'the;

plug 42 and'receives a thumb nut-54.

Secured to the outer end of they elbow v50 is a tubular conduit member55. 55-is a tubular con duit member secured to the silencer housing 41;

As shown in Figure 2, the member 56 overlies the discharge or outer endof the'member 55 and an annular clearance .51 is provided between theparts 55 and 56. Although the annular space 5! represents a preferablemeans of producing communication between the outlet duct and thesilencing chamber, other means of communication between these two spacesmay be used. The tubular member or conduit 55 may be connected to anysuitable, connection by means of which gases may be discharged from thecleaner and conducted to a point of use. The cleaner construction lendsitself to mounting in a variety of If an elbow downwardly directed isconnected to the member 56, the cleaner may be mounted above orsubstantially above and somewhat to the'side'oi a carburetor.

In both forms of the device, communication is provided between thesilencer and the outlet duct. This maybe provided in any desired way byopenings,,such as the openings 23, by clearances,

such as the clearances 40 and 51, or otherwise.

The invention is not limited, therefore, to any particular form of, ormeans for, producing communication between the interior of the silencerand the-outlet duct or passage through which cleaned air goes toward thepoint of use.

The use and operation of this invention are as follows:

The device 'in either form is connected to an internal combustionengine. nected to the intake passage of a carburetor. Because of thespace requirements'the device has been so arranged that it occupies aminimum of space and can be put upon or connected to a downdraft"carburetor without requiring a substantial space above the top of thecarburetor.

When so connected air which is drawn into the engine passes through thecleaner, entering through its annular intake passage and through theopenings 5 in the housing or casing 2. This air passes downwardlybetween the members 2 and I l and is deflected upwardly by the baille l1and passes through the filter mass H), which may be of any material orconstruction suitable for filtering purposes. The air moves from thefilter downwardly in the formof Figure 1 through the passage l2and'finally through the member 38 to the member 4|.

In the form of Figure2 the air does not move downwardly through "thepassage 12, which is closed by the member 42. The. air moves up- .wardlythrough the parts 49, 50 and and is addition to the cleaner partsnecessary to accomplish oil bath cleaning, the cleaners in both formsare provided with silencing means. The final outlet member from thecleaner in each form extends into a connecting member which is joined tothe carburetor'or to a passage which communicates with the carburetor.Thus in the form of Figure l the member 38. extends into the member 39and is of less diameter than that member, so that an annular clearancespace 40 is provided between the two. .Inthe form of Figure 2 the member55 extends into the member 56 and'is' ofless "diameter than that member,so that an annular clearance is provided between them. In each case themembers which form the outlet passage from. the cleaner proper passthroughta resonating and silencing chamber which is'iormed in the formof Figure 1 about and beneath'the cleaner and which is iormed'in theform of Figure 2 large1y abovethe cleaner. The

resonating or silencing chambers are "open to the Usually it is con-'member which is connected to the carburetor. In the form of Figure 1this opening is the annular opening 40 and in the form of Figure 2 it isthe annular opening 51.

Resonating and silencing chambers are not in themselves new as appliedto air cleaners. Their manner of operation and their silencing effectare well-known. The present invention relates primarily to thearrangement of the silencing chamber with respect to the cleaner. Onepurpose of the invention is to provide an efiective silencing meansformed as a unit with an air cleaner and so shaped and dimensioned as torequire a minimum of space and to permit an economical utilization ofthe space within which the cleaner is to be positioned.

In the form of Figure 1 there are two silencers. The member 30 defines asilencing chamber beneath the cleaner and within the larger silencingchamber which is formed by the members 32 and 33. In both forms of thedevice the function of the silencing chambers is to provide means forthe suppression of intake noise which normally occurs when air is drawninto an engine or into the carburetor of the engine. The second silencerchamber formed by the member 30 in Figure 1 might be omitted from thatform of the device.

In order to economize space and to produce a cleaner and silencingassembly which satisfies the requirements of present day automotivedesign, the silencer has been positioned with respect to the cleanermechanism around and under the cleaner, as shown in Figure 1, andlargely above the cleaner, as shown in Figure 2. The cleaner.

outlet passage members have been provided in each case with elbowspositioned within the silencer chambers, and each has been provided witha final side outlet, and provision has been made around the outlet pipefor a connection between the outlet pipe and the silencer chambers. Thisconnection comprises the space 40 in Figure 1 and the space 51 in Figure2.

I claim:

1. In combination, means defining an air cleaner housing, means defininga silencer chamber in axial alignment with said air cleaner housing,conduit means defining an outlet from the air cleaner housing, saidconduit means including an axially disposed portion in communicationwith the air cleaner housing and a laterally directed terminal portionextending through the silencer chamber and having communicationtherewith, and a discharge member providing communication between theinterior and the exterior of the silencer chamber.

2. The construction described in claim 1 wherein said discharge memberincludes a conduit member having an inner end portion in communicationwith the interior of said silencer chamber, said inner end portion beingdisposed in spaced telescopic relation to the terminal portion of saidconduit means.

3. The construction described in claim 1 wherein the silencer chamber isof greater diameter than and partly surrounds the air cleaner housing.

4. The construction described in claim 1 wherein the silencer chamber isof greater diameter than and surrounds the lower part of the air cleanerhousing.

5. The construction described in claim 1 wherein the silencer chamber isof greater diameter than the air cleaner housing and is positionedgenerally above the same.

JOHN J. DREZNES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Sebok et a1 Jan. 11, 1949

